In the Philippines, ex-leaders don't fade away — they engage in extreme feuding

A hybrid variety of politics, combining hothouse and fun house, is cultivated in the Philippines. The latest example emerged toward the end of last year and received a flourish of attention at the beginning of January. The previous President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is suffering from complications of spinal surgery and is under “hospital arrest” while awaiting trial on charges of plundering the national sweepstakes authority, received visits from two other former Presidents. …